Men plead not guilty in USC student killings

July 18, 2012

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

1 of 5

This combination photo made from undated file photos released by the Los Angeles Police Department on April 13 shows shooting victims Ming Qu, left, and Ying Wu. The USC Chinese graduate students were shot to death near the campus. ANONYMOUS, AP

1 of 5

Howard Wang, right, a USC student leader, speaks Wednesday to the media after the scheduled arraignment of Bryan Barnes and Javier Bolden, who are suspects in the fatal shooting of USC students Ming Qu and Ying Wu on April 11 in Los Angeles. Barnes and Bolden pleaded not guilty to capital murder at their arraignment NICK UT, AP

1 of 5

Yu Xiong, with the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, speaks Wednesday to the media after the arraignment of Bryan Barnes and Javier Bolden, who are suspects in the shooting of USC students Ming Qu and Ying Wu. NICK UT, AP

1 of 5

USC students stand in silence April 18 outside the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles after a memorial service for Ming Qu and Yung Wu, engineering students from China who were shot to death while sitting in their parked car near the campus April 11. LUIS SINCO, AP

1 of 5

Friends of the two shooting victims place flowers at a memorial site at the scene of a shooting in this file photo from April 11. Police said a gunman opened fire on a BMW near the University of Southern California campus, killing two international students from China in what may have been a bungled carjacking attempt. RINGO CHIU, ZUMAPRESS.COM

This combination photo made from undated file photos released by the Los Angeles Police Department on April 13 shows shooting victims Ming Qu, left, and Ying Wu. The USC Chinese graduate students were shot to death near the campus. ANONYMOUS, AP

LOS ANGELES – Two men charged in the shooting deaths of two USC graduate students from China during a botched robbery pleaded not guilty Wednesday to capital murder.

Bryan Barnes, 20, and Javier Bolden, 19, are charged with the April 11 killings of Ming Qu and Ying Wu, both 23. The electrical engineering students were attacked while they sat in Qu's double-parked 2003 BMW in the 2700 block of Raymond Avenue, not far from the USC campus, during a downpour.

Wu was found in the passenger seat, and Qu, who apparently tried to run for help, was found on the steps of a nearby home.

The murder charges include the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder during the commission of a robbery. Prosecutors will decide closer to trial whether to seek the death penalty against the two.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Shelly Torrealba on Wednesday ordered Barnes and Bolden – who were arrested May 18 – to remain jailed without bail. At one point during the hearing, the judge had to pause and chastise the defendants, who were smiling and talking to each other in the courtroom holding area.

They are due back at the downtown courthouse Sept. 20, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require them to stand trial.

Along with the killings, the two are charged with the attempted murder of a 20-year-old man during a party in South Los Angeles on Dec. 3.

Barnes is also charged with an additional count of attempted murder and assault with a semiautomatic firearm based upon allegations of opening fire during another South Los Angeles party Feb. 12, injuring two people.

Police said shell casings tied both men to the USC shootings and the earlier shootings.

The parents of the slain students filed a wrongful death lawsuit that claims USC "actively solicits international students particularly from China for its graduate studies program for which it receives a substantial sum of money from tuition to help fund the university."

The lawsuit says USC's website calls the university "among the safest of U.S. universities and colleges, with one of the most comprehensive, proactive campus and community safety programs in the nation."

USC attorney Debra Wong Yang called the shooting a tragedy, but said there were no grounds for the lawsuit.

A friend of Wu and Qu told reporters outside the courtroom that she had some sympathy for the defendants' families.

"I saw those two guys' family, a mom and maybe sisters or brothers," Julia Liu said. "I also feel sad for them 'cause they also kind of lost their son. ... It's going to be sad for four families."

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.